Ball pitching device



April 17, 1951 H, G, ATWELL 2,549,156

BALL PITCHING DEVICE Filed Jan. 24, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @i Q i Herz/@Q4 wel Z .N i l y da @L Patented Apr. 17, 1951 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a ball pitching device, and is in the nature of an improvement on the ball catching and pitching machine disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,082,818, dated June 8, 1937.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide enclosing means for the connection between the foot treadle means and ball throwing member of the device, whereby said connection is concealed and there is no likelihood that it will become tangled when the device is knocked down for storage or shipment.

Another object is to provide a connection between the treadle means and ball throwing member in the form oi a jointed metal ribbon, whereby it may be folded alongside .the base sections when the latter are taken apart for the purpose of storage and shipment.

Another object is to provide simple means to attach the metal ribbon to the treadle means when setting the device up for use.

.Another object is to provide a base in the form of telescopic tube sections, whereby its length may be considerably reduced for storage and shipment and whereby the connection between the treadle means and ball throwing member may be enclosed.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, this invention consists in the several 'novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated inthe drawings accompanying this specification in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a ball pitching and catching device embodying a simple form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail fragmental view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail fragmental section through the ball catching and throwing elements, taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section through a fragment of the foremost tube section of the telescopic base, the line of section being taken at 4-4 in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the device showing the same in knocked down condition;

Fig. 6 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but showing the ball catching element in its down position; and

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line I-'I of Fig. 6.

Referring to said drawings, which are merely illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, the reference character I0 designates a base, as. a whole, composed of several tube sections II, I2 and I3 with their adjacent end portions par-v tially telescoped into each other (see Fig. 2).. Pin and slot connections I4, I5 are provided upon the adjacent ends of the tube sections for preventing relative rotation between them.

To the lower sides of the endmost tube sec-- tions at their free ends, bolted, riveted, welded or otherwise secured thereto, are elongated plates: I6, I'I which extend crosswise of the base and'. serve as steadying members for holding the parts: of the device upright. The plate I6 may be re-4 garded as the front steadying member and theiplate il as the rear steadying member.

On the front steadying member I l is rotatably mounted treadle means I8 having a shaft I9 journaled in a bearing bracket 20 welded or otherwise secured to the front steadying mem-- ber, said shaft being also journaled in a bearing aperture in the tube section II. The treadle may be in the form of a small rectangular L- shaped plate I8a secured to the shaft IQ as by a screw or otherwise, as desired. To the shaft I9 within the tube section II is secured an arm 2l having a slot 22 in its upper end in which the hereinafter described connection with the ball throwing member is removably secured as by a link 35 which engages a side of the arm 2i.

Pivotally mounted in the rearmost tube section I3 as by a pin 24 is a ball throwing member 25. This ball throwing member has an actuating arm 26 having one bent end which extends through a slot 2l in said real-most tube section I3 to the interior thereof where its inner end is pivoted to the tube section by the pin 24. To the other end of the actuating arm 2t is riveted, bolted, welded or otherwise secured thereto a trough-like ball receiver 28 with a ball retaining member 28a at one end thereof which prevents the hereinafter mentioned ball from rolling out of the ball receiver 28. Connecting the actuating arm 26 and arm 2I of the treadle means is a connection 29 desirably composed of sections 30, 3| and 32 of metallic ribbon or strips pivotally connected together as by rivets 33 to permit the sections to be extended for use or folded together for the purpose of storage and shipment. Each section may terminate approximately at the adjacent telescopic ends oi the tube sections, whereby when folded, the several sections will occupy a length approximately equal to the length of one of the tube sections.

f thrower down into position for receiving al ball from the ball catcher.

Pivotally mounted on the pin 31 is a stand 3!` having two upright side walls 4I] connected by an end Wall 4| having a hole 42 therein adjacentlits lower end, through which a ball may pass.- frOm the rear side of the end wall to the ball throwing member. The stand may be pivotally connected with the pin 31 at places adjacent the forward edges of the side Walls 46 of the stand to enable it to stand upright. The greater amount of the weight of the stand being to the rear ofV its pivot point, it maintains the stand in upright position when raised into upright position.

Secured to the side walls of the stand is a ball catching element, designated generally by the reference character 44. Saidball catching element comprises a rearwardly bowed fabric sheetvof material 45, which has'a downwardly projecting-portion 46 which extends down `behind the end wall 4|v of the stand and; together with saidl end wall forms a channel throughl which a ball, caught by the bowed portion of the sheet of material may gravitate to the bottom of the channel. An inclined wall 4-1' secured to the end wall 4| below the opening 42 therein closes the bottom ofthe channel and directs a ball which falls upon the inclined wall, through the opening in the end wall where it lodges upon the ball throwing member. The edge of the bowed portion of the ball catchinggelement is generally half roundand below the half round part the side edges thereof are straight. The sheet of material'is formed with ahem 48` along -itsedges, through which extends a flexible metal strip @Shaving a half round part 50 which terminates in upright legs 5| that are secured to the` sidewalls of the standby screws' 52;

Thegame is playedwith a ball, preferably a rubber ball 53* (see Fig. 3'); The player stands adjacent the treadle means andithrows` the ball into theball catching element and it gravitates down to the inclined wall 41'where it is deflected upon the ball throwing member 25,V The player, then depresses the treadleV |8aY with moreorless. force thereby drawing the connection 29.toward him and swinging up the ballgthrowing member 25, which projects the ball in the direction of the player who endeavors to catch it during itsY flight.

To knock down the device, the link 351s disconnected frorn the treadle arm 2| and thetube sections are detached from each other andllaid side by side as seen in Fig. 5. TheV connection strips 30, 3| and 32 are folded upon each other as seen in Fig. 5 andlaid among the tube sections.A The ball catchingk element is then swung down upon its pivot 31. Inthisrknockedidown condition the entire device can be contained Vin .a carton 54 (see. Fig, 5) of the dimensions shown therein, the half roundpart of the flexibler strip 50 beingrcollapsed somewhat as vseen at 5Go'. to enu able it-to be placed within, the carton of the di'- mensions shown.

In assembling the device, the connection strips Y areA inserted through' thetubesectionsd andj|2 and the tube sections telescopen together. The

4 strip section 30 may be engaged with the treadle armV 2| by means of a button-hook or the like (not shown) which may be introduced through the open end of the tube section and engaged with the link 35, whereby the end of the strip 30 may be let into the slot 22 in the top of the treadle arm 2|. The link will be drawn into engagement with the treadle arm by the spring 36.

Having thus describedy my invention, it is ob- Vious that various immaterial modiications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of Y partsl herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

jointedstrip connecting said treadle means and' ball throwing member and extending vthrough said tubular base, said strip having a pivotal-joint adjacent each juncture, of adjoining tube sections.

2. In ball pitching device having treadle. means, a.. ball throwingV member andV a jointed strip connection therebetween, a4 base composed' of several telescopic tube sections in which. the

ccnnectonis contained, and ak pair of substantially iiat, steadying members one ateachendof. the base and rigidly secured to the latter, said steadying membersV each extending tangentiall'yv through said tube sections, saidstrip-.having aV pivotal j oint adjacent each juncture of adjoining tube sections, said strip being detachably securedA to the treadle means and permanently attached to the ball throwing member.

4: In a ball pitching device, a base comprising several telescopic tube sections and steadying. meansV at each end, treadlemeanS-.at oneend oiy the base having a shaft rotatably mounted uponY the base, a notchedarm'secured to the shaft, a ball,throwing'member pivotally. supported ad.-`

jacent the other end of said base, a. jointed stripV securedto said ballthrowing member, with Vits other end extendingA through the notch v inl the. arm, and having a link secured on its end bearing against said arm.

5. Ina ball pitching, device, abasecomprising severaltelescopic tube sections andfsteadying meansat the ends ofithe base, treadlemeans` mounted at one end of the base, a ballfthrowing` member mounted atthe other end ofthe base, a flat, jointed vstrip connecting the treadlelmeans and ball throwing member through said.v tube sections, said`strip, having. a

pivotal joint adjacent each juncture of adjoining;

tube sections, said jointed strip having, a link detachably secured to the treadle means andr permanently attached to theV ballf throwing mem,- ber, and -a coiled tension spring attachedto the and extendingV ball throwing member for swinging the same down.

6. In a ball pitching device, a base comprising several telescopic tube sections and steadying means at each end, treadle means at one end of the ibase having a shaft rotatably mounted uponthe base, a notched arm secured to the shaft, a ball throwing member pivotally supported adjacent the other end of said base, a jointed strip secured to said ball throwing member, with its other end extending through the notch in the arm and having a link secured on its end bearing against said arm, and a coiled tension spring attached to the ball throwing member for swinging the same down.

7. In a ball pitching device, a base having telescopic tube sections, one end tube section having a slot in its wall, a ball throwing member having an actuating arm extending through said slot with its end pivotally mounted in said slotted ltube Section, a coiled tension spring connecting said arm to a stationary pin mounted in said'tube section, and a j-ointed metal strip extending through Said tube sections and connecting the treadle means with the actuating arm of the ball throwing member, said strip having a pivotal joint adjacent each juncture of adjoining tube sections.

HENRY G. ATWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 963,347 Winans July 5, 1910 1,007,161 Walter Oct. 31, 1911 1,239,622 Blackshear Dec. 31, 1918 1,382,696 Van Vleet c- June 28, 1921 1,802,139 Dacey Apr. 21, 1931 2,021,989 De Master Nov. 26, 1935 2,082,818 Atwell June 8, 1937 2,301,265 Fandrey Nov. 10, 1942 

